Alex Salmond displayed a “striking” willingness to lobby the Government on
behalf of Rupert Murdoch after developing a relationship of “mutual respect
and admiration” with the media mogul, the Leveson inquiry has found.

The Leveson report found the First Minister “stood ready” to persuade UK ministers that Mr Murdoch’s News Corporation should be permitted to take over BSkyB despite the risk that his intervention would render the deal unlawful.

Mr Salmond “cannot be criticised” for the steps he actually took because a turn of events meant Mr Murdoch did not need his assistance after all.

But the report indicated that Mr Salmond could not similarly be exonerated for “what he said he was prepared to do” to help the Murdoch media empire.

Lord Justice Leveson rejected the SNP leader’s claim he was duty bound to lobby for the takeover – which later collapsed in the wake of the phone hacking scandal – because it might create more jobs in Scotland.

Economic advantages were not part of the criteria UK ministers could consider, the judge noted, meaning that Mr Salmond was inviting them to act unlawfully for the benefit of Mr Murdoch.

The First Minister last night claimed he was exonerated after the report ruled there was not enough evidence to say definitively that he agreed to lobby for the takeover in return for the Scottish Sun supporting the SNP at last year’s Holyrood elections.

But Lord Justice Leveson noted that talks on both BSkyB and the Sun’s backing took place in the same conversation, which was conducted in the context of a “warming” relationship between Mr Salmond and News Corp.

The report was published only hours after the First Minister announced he will set up an independent panel to examine how its recommendations will be implemented north of the Border.

David Cameron told MPs he would carefully examine Mr Salmond’s approach but joked that Angus Robertson, the SNP’s Westminster leader, “might want to have a look at what the report says about the First Minister as well.”

Paul Martin, a Labour MSP, said: “The Leveson Report giving a fascinating insight into the murky way Alex Salmond goes about his business.”

Referring to the First Minister’s willingness to lobby, he added: “The only thing that stopped that wrongdoing was that the UK government made a decision before Salmond got around to phoning them.”

The Leveson report found the First Minister and Mr Murdoch have made “significant personal connections”, with the media mogul “intrigued” by Scottish independence and “impressed by Mr Salmond’s ideas and political acumen.”

After the 2007 Holyrood election, the relationship developed into one of “mutual respect and admiration”, with Mr Murdoch perhaps believing the SNP’s aims are “consistent” with those of News Corp.

On his part, Mr Salmond “clearly saw the advantages” of winning over the Scottish Sun and “he would no doubt wish to do all that was properly within his power to achieve that.”

The Leveson inquiry heard how he initially offered to lobby Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, before responsibility for the BSkyB deal was transferred to Jeremy Hunt.

However, the call never took place because the day they were due to speak Mr Hunt announced in the Commons he was ready to allow the takeover to proceed.

The Leveson report said the First Minister knew that economic considerations could not have been be considered by the Culture Secretary but “even this knowledge would not have stopped him” trying to lobby.

“Acceding to Mr Salmond’s argument would have rendered the decision unlawful … It does not follow that he (Salmond) was entirely at liberty to seek to persuade the Secretary of State into error,” the report found.

“Mr Salmond’s readiness, when the subject was first raised in November 2010 and thereafter, to stand ready to assist News Corp is striking.”

But a spokesman for the SNP leader said: “Today’s report is a complete vindication of the First Minister’s position in terms of the case he was prepared to put to promote Scottish jobs and the wider Scottish economic interest.

“As Lord Leveson himself says, Mr Salmond ‘cannot be criticised’ in respect of the BSkyB takeover issue. This report drives a coach and horses through the claims of opposition politicians in the Scottish Parliament.”